Self-playing piano.



190.947,798. EATENTED MAE. 19, 1997;

H. MEYER. SELF PLAYING PIANO..

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1905.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- ermamz Weyer A TTOHNE Y S No. 847,798, PATENTEE MAE. 19, 1907. H. MEYEE.

SEEE PLAYING PIANO.V

APPLOATION FILED AUG.3,1905.

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/N VEN TH.

EZ El W/TNESSES. Zuma/g@ @a PATENTED MAR. 19

16 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED Aucas. 1905.

W/T/VESSES.'

ATTOR No. 947,799. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907. H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. S, 1905.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A TTOHNE S I H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1905.

ZSK 2 n I w/NESSES: .'NvE/vToR azijn ./feyer i y l l l gH/VEYS PATENTED MAR. I9, 1907.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

m8473925. PATENTED MAR .19,'1907. H. MEYER. l

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1905.v

1G SHEETS-SHEET '7.

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w/TNEssEs: v n Eer/Wanna?! el' L//w y By ey ATTORNEYS N o. 847,798.' PATBNTED MAR. 19, 1907,

H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLIOATION FILED AUGJ?, 1905. l

16 SHEETS--SHl-HET l0.

WWA/5335s; /NVE/vron arma; 1 ../f el' I v/. im 'H e7 l l' I 4 Ar'rof? No. 847,798. PATBNTED MAR. 19, 1907. H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APYLIUATION FILED AUG.3. 1905.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

W/ TA/Essfs.I

16 SHEETS-SHEET 13,

/NVENTOH Mga?" Arm/NVE PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

H. MEYER.

. SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG s 1905 PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

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/NVENTOR ATTORNEYS cav/LA and.:

H. MEYER. l SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED Avena, 1'905.

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H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1905.

l 16 SHEETS-SHEET 15,

#www N Wl TN E SSE S NVE' N TOR" PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907. .l

910.947,799. PATENTBD MAR.1 19, 1907. H. MEYER.

SELF PLAYING PIANO.

v APPLICATION FILED AUG.3. 1905.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 16.

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n j: l 171 Ik 7W w/r/vfssfs A /NVENTUH ATTORNEYS rnvrrnn sfrarns rnnnr onirica.

. HERMANN MRYRR, or naw YoRK, N. Y.

SELF-marine." PIANO.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Appleman ned Angus'. s, 1905. semina. 272,499.

To al?, wlwm/ it'- my concern: v

Be it known that I, HERMANN MEYER, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and .Improved `Self- Playing Fiano, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

The invention relates to self-playing mution of a coin, the note-sheetbeing auto-- matically rewound at the end of the last `piece oi music -to start playing the first piece 'of music onthe introduction of another coin.

The invention consists of novel features andparts and combinations of the saine,- which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the' claims.

Apraetical embodiment of lthe invention i's represented 'in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of' this speeiiication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. v

Figures l and' l@l are elevations of the front of. the instrument.- Fig. 2 is` a transverse section of the same onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a like view ofthe same on theline 3.3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar .view of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 111. Fig. 5 isa sectional plan view ofthe improvement on the line 5 5 el' Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar view lof the same on the line 6 6 ,of Fig. 11.` Fig.

7 is an enlarged transverse section of the improvement onthe line 7 7 of Fig. 1 and showingwmore particularly the pneumatic-valve mechanism for controlling .the hammer-rail, the' damper-rail, vthe stopping mechanism, andthe indicating mechanism.. Figi/Sis an enlarged cross-section of the same on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. '9 is an enlarged crosssection of che improvement on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a similar view of thesame on the line-10 10 of Fig.1. Fig. 11 is an enlarged transverse .section of the improveinert on the line 11 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is 'a face view of the right-hand side' connecting-hoard. Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional plan View of tl e improvement on the line 13 13 of Fig. 1 ani showing more particularly the main valve connection be t Ween the pneumatics `and the suction-chamber of the suction-bellows. Fig. 14 is an enlarged crosssection of the same on the line 14 .14 of Fig.

1. Fig. 15 is a face lview of the main board for' the action-pneumatics Fig. 16 is a sectional plan view ef several nneumatics, the section being on the line 16 16 of Fig. 18. Fig. 17 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 17 17 of Fig. l18. Fig. 18 is al transverse section of the same on the line 18 1s of-Fig. ie. elevation of the same on the line 19 19 of Fig. 16. Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional front elevation of the vspe'ed-regulating valve Fig. 19 is va sectional front and part ofv the rewindmg mechanism. Fig. i 21 is an enlarged front elevation of the mechanism for wmdingfup and rewinding the note-sheet. Fig. 22 is an enlarged front elevation of the -tracker-board and note-sheet. Fig. 23isv an enlarged rear .elevation ofthe indicator mechanism. Fig. 2'4 is a diagrammatic view of the motor` and the two motor-circuits. Fig.` 25 is an enlarged sec'- tional lan view of the pneumatic-releasing valve irdr the hammer-rail, the section being on the line 25 25 of Fig, 7 and Fig. 26 is a like viewlof the pneumatic-actuat ing valve for the hammer-rail, the section being on the line 26 26 of Fig. 7.

The strings A of the self-playing instrument are stretched on a strii;g-fra1ne-A, ex-

. tending in iront of a sounding-board A2 and .held with the latter in the usual manner on the pianoei'rame'B. (See Fig. 2.) The piano-action for sounding the strings A may be of any approved construction. It preferably, however, eonsists ci hammers C, normally resting on a hammer-rail C and adapted to be actuated by keys D, which latter are either played by hand or by the mechanical mea-.1s presently to be described in detail. The under sides of the keys D, at the rear ends thereof, are adapted to be engaged by pins E, mcunted'to'slide vertically .in suit'- able bearings formed on the keyboard-bottom B', and the lower ends` ef the said pins rest on the rear ends of levers FX. fulcrumed on the underside .of the said bottom B. .Each lever E is pressedv upward at its forward end by a spring E2, and the said l'orward end is connected by a rod ll'" with the movable member-ef an action-pneumaiic l", the several action-pneumaties F being preferably arranged in tiers to economize in space. The pneuinatics F. are connected p valve H?, controlling a port 'with pneumatic valve-chests G, likewise .ar- :ranged in tiers and located below the tiers of i having their movable members connected by sheet L, having note-apertures L and uncause the pneumatic F to collapse.

' wheel J 2 in mesh with a worm J3, secured on 'pneumatic valve-chests G and pneumatics F `collapsing pneumatic F pulls the rod E3 itmen'J with a crank-shaft J, extending l engthwise and journaled in suitable bearings in the lower ortion of the frame B. (See Fi yS. in, 2, an 4.)

he crank-shaft J is provided with awormthe shaft J4 of a motor J5, preferably of the electric type. When the motor J 5 is running, the suction-bellows I are actuated to exhaust air from the suction-chamber l', which in turn exhausts air from the valve-chamber H and the suction-chamber G as long as the valve H2 is open', but if the yalve H2 lis closed and the motor J5 is running for rewinding,r purposes, as hereinafter more fully described, then the valve-chamber H and suction-chamber G', and consequently the are not affected.'

The valve-chests G are provided withpneumatic valve mechanisms, preferably of the construction shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 756,674, granted to me April 5, 1904, so that further detailed description of the said valve mechanism is not deemed necessary, it being deemed sufficient to state that each valvechest G is provided with a conduit G2 and an inlet-chamber G3, connected by a flexible tube Gd with a tracker-boar'dopening K in the tracker-board K, over which passes the noteh winding from a roller N and winding up on aY roller N when the instrument is playing. The tracker-board K is iixed'on an auxiliary frame B, forming part of the main frame B, and the rollers N and N are journaled in` suitable bearings arranged on'the said frame B3. When the instrument is in action and a note-aperture L registers' with a trackerboard opening K', then the corresponding valve mechanism in a valve-chest G is actuated to connect the correspondingI pneumatic F with the exhaust-chamber G2 to When this takes place, the movable member of the downward to impart a swinging motion to the lever Eagainst the tension of the spring E2 thereof, and thi's downward swinging mo-f tion of the front end of the lever E causes the rear end thereof to move upward to lift the pin E, and thereby impart a swinging motion to the corresponding keyD, which in turn causes its hammer C to sound the corresponding string A. As soon as the'note-aperture L has passed out of register with its ,tracker-board openingK then the' air previously allowed to pass into the inlet-chamlber G3 by way of the tube G4 is now permitted to escape or leak out'to allow the valve mechanism to return toits previous osition, so' that atmospheric air passes into t e pneumatic G to again inflate the same. this takes place, the rod E3 of this neumatic moves upward to allow the lever the pin E, and the key D and hammer C 'to assume their normal position, the hammer C-moving back to a position of rest against the rail C.

When

As shown in Figs. 1, 1, and 2, the pneumatics F and the valve-chests G are secured to the front of ia longitudinally-extending board lG*",.(see Fig. 15,) carrying at its rear the suctio'n-bellowsI-and suction-chamber I. The ends o f'the tiers of neumatics Fv and valve-chests G are attac ed to transversel -extending connecting-boards Go and G7, (s own indetail in Figs. 10 and 12, respectively,) and the said connecting-boards .are supported on the main frame B.

In order to cause the note-sheet L to travel downward over the tracker-board K in the direction of the arrow a for playin@f purposes, the following device is provide spe-l cial reference .being had to Figs. 1a and 21. On the shaft N 7 of the winding-up roller N is secured a gear-'wheel Ns in mesh with a pin-A ion N4, provided with a clutch member N5, adapted to be engaged by a clutch member N", secured at one end of a shaft O, mounted :to turn and to slide in the direction of' its `lengthy in suitable bearings arranged on the main frame B. The shaft O is provided with 4a sprocket-wheel O, over which passes a sprocket chain O2, Valso passing over a sprocket-wheel 03,-secured on the crank-shaft O4 of a pneumatic motor O5, used for imparting a rotary motion tothe shaft O4, which by the sprocket-wheels O3 O and sprocket-ch ain O2 imparts a rotary motion to the shaft O. When the several parts are in the position as shownin Figs. '1a and 21 and the shaft O is rotated, then the clutch member Nengages the clutch member N5 to rotate the pinion N4, mounted loosely on the shaft O, and the rotation of the pinion N4 is transmitted to the gear-wheel N3 andshaft NZ to turn the winding-up roller N with a viewv to wind up the note-sheet L--that is, to cause the same to travel downward in the direction of the arrow a. In orderto rewind the note-sheet L at the end of the last piece of music onthe note-sheet, the shaft Ons shifted from lthe right to the left, so that the clutch member Ne moves out of engagement with the clutch member Nand moves into engagement with a clutch gear-wheel N7 in mesh with a pinion N8, meshing with a gear-wheel N9, secured on the shaft N10 of the unwinding-roller N. When the clutch member N is in mesh with the clutch gear-wheel N7 and the shaft O-is- IOS 3o. `fully explained. A pull-spring F5 is connectrotated, then the clutch gear-Wheel N7 is rotated by the clutch member N6 and rotates the pinion U8, which in turn rotates the gear- Wheel N2, shaft N10, and unWinding-roller N for the latter to wind up the note-sheet L- that is, to cause the same to travel upward in the inverse direction pf the arrow a. It is understood thatl during this operation the roller N is free to rotate, as the clutch mem- 1o ber N"v is out of engagement With the clutch member N5, Vand consequently the pinion 1 4 can rotate freely on the shaft O.

The pneumatic motor G5 may be of ,any vapproved construction and provided with a i 5 suitable suction-valve O5, connected by a flexible tube P with a chamber P, (see Figs.

- 1a and 20,) and this hamber P is in communication with a valve-chest F2, containin a slide-valve P3, controlling a graduate 2ol opening P4, directly connected With the suction-chamber I of the suction-bellows I, so that When'the valye P3 is open air is exhausted by way of the graduated opening P4, chest P2, chamber, P', and tube 1- from the eX- z5lglaust-valve O5 to cause the pneumatic motor05 to start running, withoa View to rotate the .shaft O for either driving the Winding-up roller 1 or the unvyinding-.roller N for re- 'Winding the.note-.sheet L, as hereinafter more ed with the slide-valve P5 to move the latter into a morelor less yclosed position relative to 'the-graduatedopening P, and the said slidev'alve P is' connected at its valve-stem P5 "guide-pulley P2 and connected With a speedregulating lever F9, fulcrumed on the main frame B and under the control of anoperator to .enable 'the latter to shift thefslide-valve 40 `P? into a more or less open position, acciording to tl'i'e speed desired for moving the notesh'eet L over the tracker-board and according to the time in which the piece of music is Written.

- In order to control the motor J5 Jfor starting the instrument, a coin-controlled mechamsm 1 s provlded arranged 1n such a manner l that the introduced coin closes the motorl circuit, thus starting the motor J5 for actuating thesuction-bellows'l.' As the valve 'P3 l `is always open- (moreor less) and the gradul ated opening l4 is directly connected with l the suction-c amber I ofthe suction-bellows l i l, it is evident that air is exhausted from the l exhaust-Valve O to start thepneulnatic nro- `tor O5 and to keep the same running as long i as the circuit is closed by the introduced coin.v When the pneumatic motor O5 is running after a coin; is introduced, the notee sheet L' is caused to wind izp on the driven roller N and to unwind from the roller N.

T he note-sheet L is preferably provided with a number of ieces of music,.only,one of 5 which is played) on the introduction of a coin,l L

and in order to stophe motor J5 automatici 1 a coin-controlled mechanism S.

venting `the instrument Jrom playing.

the end oi each piece of music, the .note-sheet L is'provided between adjacent pieces of music 'with a stop-aperture L2, adapted to register with a tracker-.board openingh, connected by a tube Q Withthe air-chamber Q of apneumatic-valve Q2, (see Fig. 8,) controlling a stopping-pneumatic Q3, which in turn controls the coin retaining and releasing device and `also the counter Q4 for counting the coins introduced into the machine. The valve Q2 is similar to the one described in the Letters Patent of the United States No.7 7 3,406 `for a self-playing piano, granted to me October 25, 1904,;so that further detailed description of the same is not deemed necessary, it being isulicient to state that the stopping-pneumatic Q3 is connected by a channel Q5 With an exhau st-chamber Q6 yin communication by a port Q7 witha main chamber R of a Windchest R, attached-to the connecting-board GG. (See Figs. 1 and 8.) The main chamber R connects by ports R2 (see Figs. .8 .and 13) With the lsuction-chamber G in communication with the suction-chamber I', as previously stated, so as to exhaust air from the main chamber R when lthe machine is in operation and the l'valve H2 is open. The valve Q2 normally closes theeXhaust-chamber Q5 to the main chamber R', as plainly shown in Fig. 8, While the chamber Q5 is connected by a port Q8 with the atmosphere; When a stopping-aperture L2 iii-the note-sheet L registers with a tracker-boardjopelning K2, then air passes by Way of thek tube Q into the airchamber Q to-actiiate the valve Q2.to close the chamber Qto the atmosphere and to connect the said chambei Q6 by the port'Q7 with the main chamber R,fso that air Vis eX- hausted i'rom the pneumatic Q5 by Wayf the channel Q5 to collapse the said pneumatic.

The movable member of the stoppingpneum'atic Q3 is connected -by a rod Q9 with After thel last piece of music of the noteshe'et L is played then the note-sheetis automatically rewound, and for this purpose it is necessary to release the coin T in the coincontrolled mechanism by the action of the stopping-pneumatic Q3 to break. the-motor- IOO circuit of the same and. to again immediately close the motor-circuit,y to keep the motor running durmg the rewindl-no operation, at the same time closing the valve H2 for pre- For the purpose mentioned usei's made of a pneui matic U, controlled bythe simultaneous ac- 'g tion of the' stopping-pneumatic.Q3 and a `pneumatic V', singly actuatedwhenever'the. mcr-fhanism is actuated Whichis employed f or releasing the Irail C from itsurearward or" l half-stroke positi on, theysa1ne as if the soft pedal onan: ordinary'- The pneumatic (see rigs. 16, 18,19, and 530) is provided on topwith a contact-closing piano were releasedf' one arm of a bell-crank lever U, tulcrumed on the main trame B and engaging with its other arm the right-hand endvof the shaft O, pressed in the direction Jfrom the left to the right by the spring O7, as plainly shown in Figs. 1a and 2l. When the pneumatic U collapses, then the rod U5 imparts a swinging motion to the bell-crank lever UG, so that the latter shifts the shaft O from the l A. right to the left to move the clutch member N6 out ofengagement with the clutch member N5 and to move the clutch member N into engagement with the clutchgearwheel N7.

As the motor J is kept running, owing to the closingof the second circuit, as above described, the shaft Ovis rotated, and consequently the roll-er N is driven to lrewind the note-sheet L.-

When the bell-crank lever U0 is actuated, as above described, then a spring-pressed catch U7 (see lig'. 20) engages and locks the lever Ua to holdthe shaft O in the reversing position until the note-sheet L is completely rewound, and when this has taken place then the catch U7 is tripped to release the bell-crank lever Uu to allow the spring 07 to return the shaft O to its right-hand end position-that is, to move the clutch member N3 out of engagement with the clutch gear- Wheel N7 and to move the clutch member N0 back into engagement vwith the clutch member The spring-catch U7 is connected for the purpose by a rod U8 with a pneumatic U3. located alongside the pneumatic Q3 and operating in conjunction with the pneumatic U. The movable member of the pneumatic U is also connected with one end of a lever U4", (see liig. 20,) connected by a chain U1l with the stem P of the slidevalve P3, so that when the pneumatic U collapses the lever Ul0 is caused to swing, and

v ping-ap erture L2.

the chain U11 then pulls the slide-valve P3 into a Wide-'open position to insure a fastworking of the pneumatic motor O5, with a view to quickly rewind the note-sheet4 L.

The note-sheet L, besides having the stopping-apertures L2, is provided at the end of the note-sheet with an aperture L3, arranged in transverse alinement with the last stopalinement with a row of apertures L4, controlling the mechanism for releasing the rail -position of rest.

C from the half-strokeposition, it being understoodthat another row of apertures L5 controls the means for moving the railI C into the half-stroke position. In a like manner thegnote-sheet L is provided with two rows of apertures L6 and L7, which condescribe the same in detail, it being sutlicient to state that the apertures L3 and L4 in the note-sheet L are adaptedto register with a tracker board opening K3, the row of apertures L5 `is adapted to register Iwith the tracker-'board opening K4, the row of apertures, L6 is adapted to register with the tracker-board opening K5, and the row of apertures L7 is adapted to register with the tracker board opening K3. The trackerboard openings K, K4, K3, and K are connected by flexible tubes W, Y, W7, and W3 with the corresponding air-chambers of pneumatic-valve mechanisms W4, VV'S, VV,- and W7, (see Figs. 8, 25, and 26,) all connected with the suction-chamber R4, previously referred to.

It is understood that-thev valve mechanism.VV5 controls the rail C with a vieWto move the same into a halt-stroke position and the valve mechanism W4 serves to release the rail and allow it ,to r'eturn to a normal position ofrest. A For this purpose the valve mechanism lV is connected by a pipe W3, (see Figs. l, 3, 5, and 7) with the pneumatic W3, which when collapsingV actuates a-lever C4, engaging one end of the rail C. (See Fig. 3.) When the valve mechanism W4 is actuated, the pneumatic W9 is allowed to inflate to permit the rail C to return to a Ina like manner the valve mechanism W76 is connectedby a tube W40 with the pneumatic W44, controlling the'lever C5 for the damper-rail C3, actuatingthe dampers C2', so .that -when the pneumatic W11 collapses thel dampers C2 are ,thrown oit1 the strings and when the valve mechanism VW is actuated the pneumatic W11 is allowed to inflate, to return the dampers C2 to their normal positionthat is, against the strings to damp the same.

The pneumatic valve mechanism W4 has. its exhaust-chamber connected by a channel AV" with the pneumatic V, so that when the valve mechanism W4 is actuated on any one of the note-sheet apertures L4, registering 'with the tracker-board openings then' the 'rail Cis returned to a normal positlon of rest Land at the same time the neumatlc V 1s casued to deflate or collapse; ut as the pneumatic Q3 does not collapse at this time itis evident that the'pneumatic Uis not a'ected,

IOC 

